Look, up until a few days ago, I didn’t believe in this Fated Mates bullshit. Then my brother—and my godsdamnKteer—convinced me that Jocelyn was my Mate, and somehow,somehowI knew that it was the truth.
She was mine, and I was hers.
So why the fuck wasn’t everything all sunshine and rainbows now?
I couldfeelher pain. Oh, Jocelyn was doing a good job hiding it; anyone else would have thought nothing had changed. But each time I took her in my arms and praised her, or called her mine, or Mate, or all the other cutsie little terms I remembered Korrad using for Sharra, she seemed to withdraw a little more, curling in on herself.
Jocelyn only seemed herself when we were in bed.
And don’t get me wrong; we were in bed alot.
The morning after that barbeque, after that claiming in the woods, I texted my brother:She’s mine. I’m not coming into work today.
His reply was immediate:Congratulations. Take as much time as you need.
Should’ve known he wouldn’t give me shit, not over something this serious.
Jocelyn and I spent the day in bed—and in the shower, and on the floor, and twice up against the wall. It was like the more times I made her come, the more addicted I was to her. I needed her pleasure like I needed my next breath, and she was completely on board with this plan.
It was only after, when we were cuddling, or throwing a frozen pizza in the oven, or whatever…I would try to bring up the future, and she would close down. She was hurting inside, and I couldn’t figure out why.
The only thing I could think to do to counter her pain was to bring her more pleasure, and it didn’t appear to be a long-term solution.
Didn’t stop me from trying harder, though.
By Friday at noon, I thought myKteermight finally be sated. The damn thing was purring in my chest, putting off a smug satisfaction. Which was fucking annoying, because biology be damned, myheartcould tell that Jocelyn wasn’t nearly as happy with this new situation as I was.
I thought at first that she was just embarrassed, even though she was the one who’d asked for sex. So I tried to rein in my need, to go back to just focusing on her pleasure with my fingers and my tongue…but she wasn’t having that. When she dropped to her knees in the shower and licked my cock from balls to tip, I kinda figured out that she didn’t want this to be one-directional again.
But when we weren’t fucking, and I tried to talk to her, to ask her what was wrong, she retreated again. So I changed the subject, talking about the future, and what it would be like to live together, or what kind of job she could find on the island…
Whenever that happened, she’d make an excuse to leave the room.
Why wouldn’t she talk to me?
Needless to say, my cock was sated, and my heart was even more confused. Which is weird as hell, because a month ago I would have told you that my heart didn’t need to be involved at all.
Shit got bad right after lunch on Friday. I’d made us grilled chicken sandwiches, and I was cleaning up when I heard her rustling around in the bathroom she’d taken over with her stuff. The town council meeting was in an hour, and I’d taken the full day off in order to drive her over and support her. I knew she’d been working hard on her arguments and plans for the council, and I had complete confidence in her.
Jocelyn emerged with her rolling suitcase packed, and I dropped the cutting board I’d been washing into the sink. In shock, I twisted to watch her march across theliving room, her gaze locked straight ahead, as if she didn’t want to glance at me.
She was reaching for the door when I finally managed to pull my voice up out of my stomach. “Where are you going?” I blurted.
With one hand on the knob, still staring straight ahead, she took a deep breath. “I…I’m going to pack my car. So I can leave after the meeting.”
“Leave?” I all-but-stumbled toward the archway separating the kitchen from the main room, the dish sponge dripping water behind me. “As in, leave the island?”Leave me?
She was refusing to look at me. “Brakkor, Mr. Frapp paid me for two weeks, to do the research necessary to convince the town council. I mean, I guess I could stay for the weekend, but my job is done after they agree.”
Stay for the weekend. At most, I had two more days with her? At worst, I had merehours. “What happens if they don’t agree?” My voice was hoarse. “What if they aren’t convinced to provide a place for the lighthouse?”
For the first time, Jocelyn’s defenses cracked, and she hunched her shoulders, glancing at me with uncertainty in her eyes as she chewed on her lower lip.
I stepped into the room. “Joss? Would Mr. Frapp pay you to try again at next month’s meeting?” What was I saying? It’s not like I wanted her to fail. “Did he say anything to you?”
“I…I don’t know.” Her lips tugged downward, and despite her irritation, I was relieved to see her getting angry instead of brittle. “Why does it matter?”
“Why does it—?” I repeated incredulously before tossing the sponge to the floor in astonishment. “Because I don’t want you to leave, Joss!”
